JOHN HUSAR`S FISHING REPORT

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Action slow at Chicago harbors, except occasional trout, few coho with warmer weather. Some perch at Belmont, few trout at Lincoln Park Lagoon. At Waukegan, browns slowing at power plant; some taken still-fishing off bottom with nightcrawlers and shiners. ComEd pier slow, occasional coho, steelhead.

Mississippi River (STAR)

Bellevue very slow for saugers, walleyes. Ice-fishing unpredictable. Crappies, few bass and bluegills taken at Lock and Dam 13, Spring Lake on waxworms and minnows.

Chain O`Lakes (STAR)

Bluegills and stripers taken on Pistakee in deeper channels. Some walleye and stripers on Petite and Marie. Channel good for stripers and some bluegills. Crappies taken on Channel and Petite. Small minnows best bait.

Kankakee River (STAR)(STAR)

Open water improving, some good-sized northern taken on big minnows, spoons. Some crappies in quieter water.

Illinois River (STAR)

Windy conditions slowing action. Few walleyes reported at Ottawa on floating jig and minnow. Few saugers at LaSalle.

LaSalle Lake (STAR)(STAR)

Some walleye taken along east bank on crankbaits, rattletraps and shad raps.

Fox River (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)

Few stripers taken south of Algonquin Dam. Inland lakes producing decent catches of panfish and stripers, taking wigglers.

Shabbona Lake (STAR)(STAR)

Bluegills active on waxworms and spikes, crappies on Swedish Pimples tipped with minnows. Bass and walleye on Swedish Pimples tipped with golden roaches. Catfish taking large fatheads and redworms.

Michiana (STAR)(STAR)

Few bluegills at Potato Creek. Steelhead picking up at warm water discharge. Dean Mitchell producing cohos and browns, few steelhead. Walleyes spotty on St. Joseph River.

Willow Slough, Ind. (STAR)(STAR)

Bass taken through ice on tip-ups and large minnows. Nice catches of small bluegills reported.

Lake Geneva, Wis. (STAR)(STAR)

Slow, but some good-sized northern and crappies taken in front of Chuck`s Place on Lake Geneva shiners and medium golden roaches. Note: Feb. 29 last day for gamefishing in Wisconsin until first Saturday in May.

Madison, Wis. (STAR)

Some bluegills and crappies on Mendota, Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa, but most action slow. Few perch on Mendota and Waubesa on spikes.

Green Bay, Wis. (STAR)(STAR)

Action spotty throughout area except on bay. Browns taken at Kewaunee power plant earlier in week. Inland lakes slow. Perch fair at Longtail, pike taken on golden shiners and smelts. Perch action excellent 3-5 miles south of Oconto breakwater. Limits of walleye on Fox River at DePere. Duck Creek still producing perch. Best fishing on east shore of bay for perch in 35-45 feet of water, on lake shiners.

Eagle River, Wis. (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)

Panfishing very good. Crappies taken on Boot, Muskellunge and Lost Lakes in 8-10 feet of water along deep edge of weeds with crappie minnows. Bluegills starting to hit in bays. Northern active mixed in with bluegills.